BECHTELSVILLE, PA. Doug “The Handler” Manmiller
was on a winning streak back in April at Grandview Speedway when he tallied up
three 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Modified features being the first
repeat winner of the season. Victory had eluded the self-employed electrician
since the win streak until Saturday night when he wheeled the Josh Biever-owned
GMI No. 46 to victory by a 0.173 margin over runner-up and last week’s feature
winner Duane Howard in the event sponsored and televised by RCN-TV 4. In
addition to the $2,500 first place money Manmiller also received $250 from T.P.
Trailers and a $150 product award bonus from VP Racing Fuels for running their
gas. The 25-lap Rislone United Racing Company sprint car feature race was won by
eight time club champion Curt Michael.

Stock car
racing action returns to Grandview Speedway on Saturday, June 28th
with the running of a tripleheader show sponsored by Bashore Trucking/BFP
Speciality. Included will be a 40-lap feature for the Sportsman paying $1,500 to
win plus racing action for the NASCAR 358 Modifieds and BRC Late Models. Racing
starts at 7:30 p.m. Adult admission is $20 while youngsters 6 thru 12 pay $5 and
kids under 6 are admitted free.

Manmiller, who calls Shoemakerville, PA home, was
happy to be back in the winner’s circle as the “team was struggling the past few
weeks, but they just stuck with him fixing the car when he broke it and carrying
on.” He made a gutsy move on the eighth lap during his charge from
13th starting spot and if he had to do it over again, “I wouldn’t
have done it.”

Ron Seltmann Jr. and Jon Kellner brought out the
yellow before the first lap was scored for a backstretch
incident.

When action went green again Bobby Gunther-Walsh, who
failed to qualify the past two weeks, was the pacesetter trailed by Brian
Houseknecht, Chris Gambler, Todd Smith and Andy
Ressler.

The caution was out again on lap two when Tim
Buckwalter did a 360 in turn two and continued, but until things cleared Jared
Umbenhauer, the defending Sportsman point champion and current point leader,
running Modifieds since the Sportsman were not part of the doubleheader show,
spun. At the same time Gambler was pulled into the infield as it appeared there
was a fire in his car. Upon further inspection it was determined there was no
fire and officials deemed it only fair that he regain
third.

Houseknecht emerged as the new leader on the restart
and immediately began to open daylight between himself and the rest of the
pack.

The field regrouped on the eighth lap after Ressler,
the sixth-place runner, was trying to limp his way into the infield with a left
rear flat tire. Chris Esposito left with nowhere to go made contact with him and
they spun in turn four. It was still Houseknecht in front, but now
Gunther-Walsh, Manmiller, 14th-place starter who made a bold move through the
middle down the backstretch to advance; Brad Arnold and Smith completed the top
five. On the move from 16th was Howard and by the 11th lap he was
fifth.

Manmiller overtook second on the tenth lap and set his
sights on Houseknecht, who was having the best night of his career, who had a
slight lead built up. The action behind them was hot and heavy for third between
Smith, Arnold and Howard. Howard split Smith and Arnold to take over third on
the 15th lap.

By the 16th lap Manmiller reeled Houseknecht in and
one lap later he was the new leader.

The final yellow was on the 20th lap when Arnold, who
was having a solid fifth place run, slowed on the backstretch with mechanical
issues. The restart put Manmiller and Howard side-by-side, but Manmiller kept
Howard at bay while Houseknecht, Terry Meitzler and Smith jockeyed for
positions. Jeff Strunk was trying to get into the top
five.

Manmiller never faltered and chalked up his fourth win
for his 22nd career win. Chasing him across the line were Howard (coming from
15th), Strunk, finishing third for the third straight week after
starting 24th; Houseknecht, for his best run at the track and also recipient of
the Dan’s Deli ˝-way leader award, and Meitzler, who finally had a change of
luck to post his best finish of the season. Ray Swinehart, Kevin Hirthler, Mike
Gular, Craig Von Dohren and Buckwalter, who received the Cargo Trailer product
certificate completed the top ten.

Nine time track champion Jeff Strunk continues to lead
the Modified standings by just a 14 point margin over five time champion Duane
Howard.

Qualifying heats for the 35 Modifieds were won by
Seltmann Jr., Buckwalter, Hirthler and Arnold. Frank Cozze and Ryan Grim won the
consies.

The 25-lap Rislone United Racing Club sprint car
feature had Josh Weller as the early leader from his pole position starting spot
and by lap six was joined by Troy Betts and Curt Michael as the three battled
for first before Weller pulled away.

Lapped traffic came into play by the Dan’s Deli ˝-way
award mark that Weller received and that allowed Michael to reel Weller in to
challenge.

The lead changed on lap 17 when Michael charged into
first.

Once Michael was in control he never looked by and
went on to claim the win followed by Weller, Betts, Robbie Stillwagon and Dave
Franek. Sixth through tenth were Kevin Darling, Jason Clauss, Randy West,
Jonathan Swanson and Jimmy Stitzel, Cargo Trailer product certificate
recipient.